Lettuce Eat!

Just two days ago I extolled the virtues of tortillas, and today I'm here to say that lettuce wraps are just as good. (Who would have thought it?) Don't get me wrong - I really like tortillas and they are still great for desserts, chips, and dishes I wouldn't even consider using lettuce for, but as a wrap for sandwich-y fillings, romaine is pretty darn good.

I know what you're thinking - Jenny, people have been eating lettuce wraps for a long time. Why are you such a slacker? Honestly, I'm stubborn. Whenever I considered using lettuce leaves to hold my avocado slices and alfalfa sprouts, I thought they couldn't be as good as an old-fashioned tortilla. I was wrong. Obviously the taste and texture of a lettuce wrap are quite different, but they might be even better. The fresh lettuce has a satisfying crunch that cannot be achieved with a soft tortilla, and the green flavor only seems to enhance the fillings.

Today's adventure in lettuce wraps included brown rice and peppery steak. After cooking the rice (along with some chopped red onion that I tossed in to boil) it got a shot of soy sauce and sesame oil for flavor. Meanwhile, I rubbed a good deal of black pepper, carribean jerk seasoning, onion powder, and cumin into a piece of steak I picked up on sale. This went under the broiler for six to seven minutes on each side until it was pink and juicy in the middle. While our son skipped the lettuce leaves, Jeff and I placed spoonfuls of the brown rice along with thin slices of the steak into our green shells for rolling. The lettuce really enhanced this experience because the cool green leaves offset the spiciness of the meat. It also made a believer out of me.

In our quest to eat better, I suspect lettuce wraps will become standard fare since both of us enjoyed them today. I'll still dream about those yummy tortillas sugared and fried, but this will be an easy change we can make to curb our carbs and calories for healthier eating habits. So, if you've been a hold-out on putting your sandwich and taco fillings into lettuce leaves, take a chance. You will be pleasantly surprised.